


Better Days

by RoseGoldRabbit



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Childhood Friends, Day One, Dianakko Week, Dianakko Week 2020, F/F, a bit of angst, just a bit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:29:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26089462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGoldRabbit/pseuds/RoseGoldRabbit
Summary: What if Akko and Diana had been friends at a young age? What if they grew apart? What if Akko barged in and kicked down the door to their friendship and refused to leave Diana alone? Who knows?
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	Better Days

**Author's Note:**

> My day one entry for Diannako Week! This one was probably the most difficult of all the prompts for me to be honest... So I made it a two-shot, because I hate myself! I'll post the second part at some point later, but I have a few other projects to finish first. *cough, cough* I promise I'm getting the next LHA chapter out, please don't hate me *cough, cough*. I hope you all enjoy it! I had no beta for this so let's hope there aren't too many mistakes!

It was a beautiful day, truly one of the best they had had in a while. Clear blue skies decorated with patches of white fluffy clouds that meandered lazily over the green hills of Cavendish manor, joined only by the occasional flock of birds that may fly overhead. It made the perfect occasion for a young Diana to enjoy the lovely weather with a close friend.

“Come on, come on! I wanna see Daiana!” That’s how Diana found herself sitting out in the fields behind the Cavendish manor, a small pile of books on the basics of magic to either side of her and an excitable brunette jumping around excitedly, and impatiently, in front of her. 

“Just a moment Akko.” Diana was forced to smother a laugh when Akko’s response to her insisted patients was to flop dramatically onto her back. But she couldn’t completely smother the laughter as she brought her wand back up in front of her, trying her hardest to focus on the steps she would need to complete the spell. “Mother says that I need to focus to cast this spell.”

Slowly Diana’s giggling subsided and Akko was able to preoccupy herself with a particularly colorful patch of flowers next to where Anna had laid out a blanket for the two of them to sit on without getting grass stains all over their clothing. Diana spared a moment herself to take in the beauty of the flowers.

The Cavendish were known for their healing magic, especially in this new golden age that they had found themselves in. Ever since Chariot Du Nord had revived magic for all the world to use and enjoy, old magic families had once again begun to prosper. But while the Cavendish were famous for their ability to heal, one of their oldest gifts was the ability to cultivate rare and beautiful plant life. As such the Cavendish manor was surrounded by fields adorned with the most unique and lovely flowers in the entirety of the world. 

They were one of her mother’s proudest achievements, since many of them, along with being beautiful, were able to be turned into very potent medicine. But the flowers could wait, as Akko seemed to finally be content.

Finally able to concentrate, Diana once again held the wand up, keeping it held out in front of her face as she took a deep breath. She needed to concentrate on the spell, the sequence was simple enough -even for someone as young as she was. Conjure an image, say the words, and wave the wand with a simple swirl and flick motion. 

But even with such simple steps, Diana had only ever gotten it right once. She didn’t know why, she followed the steps to perfection, said the words right each time, and her movements with the wand were exact. But every time was the same thing, at first there would be a small spark of magic but it would fizzle out before becoming anything! Every time she had asked her mother she would say the same thing.

She would pick Diana up, holding her close to her as she spoke,  _ “It’s not just a matter of following the steps little one.” _ Her voice was always so calm, so comforting after failing over and over again at the same simple task, always reassuring and patient despite her failure.  _ “You have to feel it. In your heart.”  _

_ “My heart?” _ Diana would ask each time. What did her heart have to do with it? She didn’t understand, even now Diana was trying her hardest to feel the magic in her heart but it didn’t work.

_ “Yes my dear, magic flows all around us, at every moment. But to use it we have to give it purpose, give it form. It won’t listen to you otherwise.”  _ And Diana would always remember what came next, a demonstration. Without even a wand in hand, her mother would reach up and with a simple utterance, she would cast magic into the air, bending the world to her image as it flooded out and over their surrounding. A garden full of flowers and the most beautiful trees and birds, just for Diana and her mother to share between themselves. It always filled her with wonder and love, as the comforting sensation of her mother’s magic surrounded her.

That’s what she wanted to show Akko. The beauty and wonder that magic could create. But once again as she took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did and reached for the magic in her heart… there was nothing there. At least not that she could find.

Frustration weld up within Diana once again. Why couldn’t she do this!? But before she could spend too long pondering that question she felt a light sensation circle the top of her head. She opened her eyes again to see that Akko had shuffled up closer to her, having just pulled her hands back from placing something on her head. 

“Akko?” she asked as she reached up to feel what lied on her head. Her fingers meat with the soft sensation of flower petals and Diana could only guess that the girl had made her a flower crown.

Before she could say anything Akko took her hands in her own, leaning in far too close for comfort, with the brightest smile she had ever seen. “I know you can do it Daicchi!”

“Akko?” She was taken aback, for just a moment. She couldn’t really tell what she was feeling at that moment but as she looked at Akko, smiling brighter than she’d ever thought could exist, it was like looking at a field of more than a thousand flowers. And again, she felt that same feeling. That she wanted to give Akko something, anything to repay her for such a sight. But this time, the feeling was just a bit different. She couldn’t tell quite exactly what was different, but now, she thought she could understand what her mother meant.

Slowly she closed her eyes and brought the wand back up, holding it gently in her hands. She searched for that feeling once more, hoping to grab onto it. And unlike every time before, this time she felt it. Buried just under the surface of her heart, right where her mother had said it would be. It was different than she had expected; warm and pulsing, much like her mother’s magic aura, but still different in some ways. It was rather hard to explain.

She felt the magic radiate outward, starting at her heart and moving out along her arm and across her fingers to find a resting place at the tip of her wand. She regarded the magic, for just a moment, with a bit of curiosity. It felt… Alive. But her focus was drawn by a small gasp behind her closed eyes. Akko was waiting for her.

So it was with a swift yet gentle swing of her wand that she began the incantation. She could feel it, in the movement of the wand, the magic that had gathered had a weight to it. It was light, yet heavy all at once. Once again she couldn’t quite explain it, but then again, who  _ could _ explain magic. And finally she spoke the words, feeling them roll off her tongue as the magic left her wand and became the image of her will. “GAIAVEN FLORARA!”

And just like with her mother, the magic welled out from her wand and hung in the air around them. But Diana was not as powerful as her mother, the best she could conjure was a sapling, adorned in flowers and beautiful in its own right. It may not have been much and Diana would have loved to do more, but for now she was simply ecstatic that she could do it at all. And it seemed Akko was as well.

The same large smile lit up across Akkos face as she stared rapt with amazement at the small tree Diana had conjured, watching it intently as it danced gently and small ethereal petals floated down and around them. It was stunning. And once again, Akko turned that smile to Diana. 

“You did it Diacchi!” Akko shouted as she launched herself at Diana, tackling her to the ground in a near strangling disguised as a hug, laughing all the way down. The hug took Diana by surprise -she was still getting used to Akko’s over the top displays of affection- but soon enough she was laughing along with her all the same.

“Lady Cavendish!” But their time together would have to come to an end, and it seemed that that end was drawing near. “Your mother calls for your presence, you and miss Kagari will have to head in soon.” Anne stood a respectful distance off, always watching the two, but letting them have their time without interfering.

Diana pushed herself up off of the ground, stopping to brush off the bit of dirt that had smeared across her dress after Akko tackled her into the flowers, taking extra care to straighten out the flower crown Akko had given her. “Well, I guess we should gather up our stuff, Mother won’t be happy if we keep her waiting.”

“Okay, okay.” Akko began gathering up their blanket -by bunching it up into a large wadded ball, which Anna certainly wouldn’t be happy about- while Diana collected the few books she had brought out with them. “But that was so cool Diacchi!”

“Thank you. It really wasn’t much though.” Diana responded as a grin took over her face. Guiding Akko as they made their way back to the manor. It was almost impossible for her to see anything in front of her when she held the huge blanket wadded up in front of her face.

“Nuh-uh! It was amazing!” Star seemed to shine in Akko’s eyes as she spoke. “I wish I could learn magic like that!” and then those same stars died down to quite embers of excitement. Like she was lamenting a lost future that she would never have.

“I could teach you.” Diana spoke the words before they had even registered in her brain. Where had that even come from? She was about to correct herself, she would have to learn herself before she could teach, but the moment the words had slipped from her lips Akko’s face had lit up again. And she couldn’t very well take it back now that Akko was smiling at her like  _ that _ .

“Really! You can really teach me Daicchi?!”

“Well… Yes, I can. Here.” In a moment of internal panic, Diana traded some of the books in her hands for the sheet in Akko’s. “These are some books on basic magic fundamentals. I’ve already finished them so it’s fine if you borrow them to use while you're not here.”

Akko’s response was a simple and exuberantly happy “Thanks!” And they made the rest of the journey back to the manor next to Anna -who had taken the sheet and folded it while grumbling about wrinkles- the whole while they talked in excited voices and with exaggerated words.

Eventually, they arrived back at the manor where both Diana and Akko’s mothers met them, having been waiting on the porch facing out into the fields. 

“Well look who it is, two adorable little ducks.” All it took was a brief look to know that Diana’s mother and she were related. The tall woman stood straight and proud as she approached both girls. “Did you both have fun out in the fields?” She bent down, to pull Diana into a soft embrace and plant a small kiss on her forehead. 

“Yes, we had quite a good time.” Diana responded as she returned the soft embrace of her mother, giggling happily at the repeated kisses on her forehead.

“The flowers here are so pretty!” Akko nearly shouted as her mother restrained her in a hug, probably to keep her from interrupting their hug.

“Akko, please calm down.” While the resemblance wasn’t quite as striking as that between Diana and her mother, Akko was very obviously her mother’s daughter. They had the same striking red eyes and the same short, chocolate brown hair. 

“But they were just so pretty!” Akko was nearly yelling now as she leaned much too far back in her mother’s embrace to be easily held. 

Akko’s mother said something in Japanese, that Diana wasn’t able to understand, and began what seemed to be some sort of scolding of the young girl, to which Akko would respond with what almost seemed like enthusiasm. In the moment Diana couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the language was, especially every time Akko would respond with the full enthusiasm that didn’t fit one being obviously scolded.

Unbeknownst to the young Cavendish, Bernadette watched on with a knowing smile, covering her mouth with a single hand to smooth a laugh at her adorable daughter. 

But before long Diana felt a soft sensation on the crown of her head, or perhaps more accurately, on the crown on her head. “What is this little one?” Bernadette asked as she gently lifted the crown from Diana’s head to examine.

It was the first time Diana had actually seen the crown, she’d only caught a brief glimpse of the edges of some of the flowers when it had been set on her head. Seeing it now she had to admire Akko’s work. It was made up of nearly ten different larger flowers and an even larger variety of smaller vines and stem-like flowers, all different colors ranging from a soft blue to a crimson red and Diana was a bit intrigued as to how Akko had managed to put such a lovely crown together so fast.

“I-it’s a flower crown,” Diana answered, slightly embarrassed for a reason that she honestly couldn’t explain. “Akko made it for me…” 

“It’s quite lovely.” Her mother responded with a slight smile as she examined the crown. “I know just the thing for this.” Wordlessly Bernadette produced her wand from around her waist. It’s tip lit up as a little orb of magic appeared at the end. It glowed a soft green, exuding the same calming energy her mother’s magic always held. With a soft motion of the wrist and a quiet utterance, she flicked the tip of the wand against the base of the flower crown, causing the little bubble of magic to enter the object while both Diana and Akko -though she was now being held in her mother's arms so she couldn’t run around wild- watched with rapt attention.

At first, it seemed as though nothing had happened but soon enough the soft glow of magic overtook the object and it began to change ever so slightly. Every plant began to grow together, creating a singular plant as opposed to multiple intertwined plants. Each plant shifted ever so slightly as the object settled it’s transformation and Bernadette brought it to eye level.

“There we are. Now the flowers will never wilt and even if one is picked,” She brought her fingers up to pluck a blue flower from the crown, the second the flower was separated from the crown a bulb appeared in its place, “it will grow back quickly.” She smiled as she placed the crown back on Diana’s head.

“Woooooooaaaah!” Came an excited exclamation from Akko, still hoisted up in her mother's embrace. “That’s so cool!”

She turned towards her mother, stars shining in her eyes as she spoke. “Isn’t it cool Okasan!”

“Yes Akko, it’s very cool!” Her mother replied with a smile. “Now, say goodbye to Diana-kun, we have to leave early tomorrow.”

“Awwwww, but I want to play some more!” Akko answered with the largest puppy dog eyes and pout that one could imagine, but by some miracle, it seemed that her mother was immune.

“I know dear, but we have to head home. We have to finish Ms. Cavendish’s new hospital back home so that she can come to see it and get back.” Akko’s mother worked for the company that Cavendish Medical used to build their new hospitals. It’s one of the only reasons that Diana had been able to become such good friends, as Bernadette had offered to let Akko stay at the manor while they were building the hospital here in England. But now the hospital here had been finished and they would have to return to Japan so that the one in Osaka could be built.

“I know it’s sad, but you’ll see her again soon enough, okay? We’ll make a play date so that you can visit sometime, and you two can spend as much time together as you want.”

Diana was reluctant to let Akko go as well, but she couldn't say as much. She was a Cavendish after all, and even if her mother didn't stress the importance of appearances so much Diana was well aware of them. So instead she simply smiled and told Akko that they would see each other again. 

She smiled as they said their goodbyes. As Akko and her mother drove off. A few weeks later when her own mother left to oversee the construction during what was supposed to be a two-month trip. But… She wouldn’t smile for long.

On the sixth week of her trip to Japan, Bernadette Cavendish fell ill. It was a rare sickness contracted by powerful witches known as  _ Witch Elm’s _ disease. She was forced to return home shortly, and even shorter thereafter the disease began to worsen.

It was a terrible affliction, one that used the magical power stored inside a witch against themselves. The specifics aren’t entirely known, as it was an extremely rare disease that only afflicted the most powerful of witches, but slowly the body would begin to turn more and more into a tree. First affecting the internal organs, it would start with inside the body, spreading outwards as time passed, but by the time it overtook the whole body the afflicted witch would be dead. Her internal organs turned to wood and vines as she slowly lost the ability to use her magic.

There was no known cure. Luckily the Cavendish coven was filled with the greatest healers of their generation. They began working on a cure instantly, but the best they had managed was a treatment to slow the progress.

With her mother unable to perform her duties the cavendish house fell under the oversight of her Aunt. Daryl wasn’t exactly cruel, but she was more than hard on the young Diana. Ever since she took over Diana had been subjected to rigorous molding, teachings, and training to become a worthy heir to the Cavendish name. All the while unable to see her mother who was still battling the horrid affliction that plagued her.

And it was now, over ten years later, that Diana was working on her own to discover a possible cure. Now attending Luna Nova, the British witch now shared little in common with her younger self. Even now, as she labored over her cauldron in her dorm at Luna Nova, she regarded her research with a cold, distant attitude that her younger self never would have imagined when she thought of performing magic.

She hadn't spoken to Akko in years now. Akko would still send letters and had tried to keep in contact with Diana -she was much too sweet a human being not to- but Diana couldn’t bring herself to respond. She didn’t have time for distractions, and besides, it wasn’t likely that they would ever see each other again. Akko would have moved on by now, probably planning to follow in her mother’s footsteps and take over at the construction company when she finished school. What were the chances they would ever see each other again?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote most of this at three in the morning because I may have accidentally deleted the original draft, oops.


End file.
